Events Calendar

Month: September 2024

Webinar: Legal Advice vs. Legal Information - A Court Staff Essential

September 4th, 2024

Unsure about the difference between legal information and legal advice? You're not alone!

Join us for a short, engaging webinar where we'll discuss the fundamental distinctions. This session will hit the important highlights to help you confidently navigate this important issue when interacting with the public.

Use this training to enhance or develop resources and guidance for your court or community.

Who Should Attend?

• Courtroom Clerks
• Probation Officers
• Self-Help Center Staff
• Court Navigators
• Anyone who interacts with the public on legal matters

Presenters:

• Danielle Hirsch | Managing Director, Access to Justice, National Center for State Courts
• Pamela Ortiz | Director, Access to Justice, Maryland Judiciary
• Rob Wall | Senior Court Management Consultant, Access to Justice, National Center for State Courts

Register today.

For more information, contact Danielle Hirsch.

Webinar: Streamlining Jury Selection - The Power of Remote Case-Specific Juror Questionnaires

September 5th, 2024

Discover how remote case-specific juror questionnaires can revolutionize jury selection by providing greater convenience for prospective jurors, offering more meaningful insights into juror impartiality, and reducing operational costs through improved juror utilization.

Join us for a comprehensive webinar featuring esteemed panelists from the Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County, as they share their successful implementation of this innovative approach.  The webinar will cover:

• The process used by the Maricopa County Superior Court to prescreen jurors for bias and time conflicts;
• How remote juror questionnaires provide more detailed and valuable information to judges and lawyers;
• The practical tools utilized, including Microsoft Forms and Excel, to facilitate remote questionnaires; and
• The significant impact this approach has had on the efficiency and effectiveness of voir dire.

Who should attend:

• Judges and court administrators
• Jury commissioners and jury management staff
• Legal professionals and trial consultants
• Technology and operations staff within the judicial system
• Anyone interested in modernizing and improving the jury selection process

Moderator:

• Paula Hannaford-Agor, Principal Court Research Associate, Research and Design, National Center for State Courts

Panelists:

• Judge Pamela Gates, Associate Presiding Judge, Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County
• Matthew Martin, Jury Commissioner, Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County
• Tiana Burdick, Deputy Jury Commissioner, Superior Court of Arizona, Maricopa County

Register today.

For more information, contact Paula Hannaford-Agor.

National Association for State Judicial Educators (NASJE) Annual Conference

September 8th, 2024

The National Association for State Judicial Educators (NAJSE) will host its annual conference September 8-11, 2024 in Tempe, AZ.

For more information, visit NASJE’s website or contact Nikiesha Cosby.

What Does Leadership Mean to You?

September 11th, 2024

Join us for the sixth session in the Navigating Leadership Webinar Series.

The word “leadership” is often used in various contexts, and it can have different meanings to different people. What does it mean in the world of courts? Why is leadership important in the court environment?

In this session, we will discuss the traits of an effective court leader, how leaders motivate and inspire others, and what court leaders find to be most challenging in their role.

Moderator:

• DeShield Greene | Senior Court Management Consultant, Court Consulting Services, National Center for State Courts

Panelists:

• Aaron Hood | Chief Financial and Operating Officer, Indiana Supreme Court
• Senior Judge Donald R. Johnson | 19th Judicial District of the Parish of East Baton Rouge
• Gayle Lafferty | State Court Administrator, Delaware

Register today.

For more information, contact DeShield Greene.

Webinar: Data Dives - Capturing the Potential of GIS to Explore Legal Deserts

September 11th, 2024

Join us for the second session of the Data Dives Webinar Series, where we’ll explore potential barriers to accessing legal services.

In this webinar, learn how Geographic Information Systems (GIS) data can help identify barriers and opportunities for providing legal access and services to the public. Three examples, including Legal Deserts maps for CCJ/COSCA, the Arizona Access to Justice effort, and dashboards created for the Commission on Indiana’s Legal Future, highlight how GIS data can be captured and turned into tools that provide insights and aid decision-making.

Moderators:

• Danielle Hirsch, Managing Director, Court Consulting Group, National Center for State Courts
• Miriam Hamilton, Senior Research Analyst, Research and Design Group, National Center for State Courts

Presenters:

• Gretchen Hornberger, Law Librarian, Coconino County, Arizona
• Bob Rath, Chief Innovation Officer, Indiana Office of Judicial Administration

Register today.

For more information, email Miriam Hamilton.

Webinar: Introduction to Civil Diversion

September 17th, 2024

A growing majority of civil cases in state courts are filed in high-volume dockets, often involving self-represented parties and frequently resulting in the entry of default judgements.

To manage these dockets, state and local courts have developed innovative civil diversion programs that offer alternative pathways for resolving disputes, particularly those involving self-represented litigants. Diversion programs can also bolster public trust and improve appearance rates by connecting litigants with stabilizing community resources.

Join us for a high-energy discussion about new guiding principles for civil diversion and learn how three courts are effectively using these programs to transform the court experience for users, promote judicial efficiency, and help strengthen communities.

Moderator:

• Chief Justice Marla Luckert, Kansas Supreme Court

Panelists:

• Judge Leonard Brown, III, Lancaster County Court System, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
• Judge Josephine Layne Buckner, Kentucky 30^th District Court 12^th Division, Louisville, Kentucky

Register today.

For more information, email Laina Combest-Friedman.

Webinar: Ethics of Generative AI - A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals

September 18th, 2024

"Ethics of Generative AI: A Guide for Judges and Legal Professionals" will introduce the ethical considerations surrounding generative AI technologies and explore core issues judges and legal professionals must consider when navigating the intersection of law and technology. Whether you are new to the topic or looking to deepen your understanding, this session will provide valuable insights and actionable guidance to help you navigate the ethical complexities of generative AI.

By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

• Define what generative AI is and its capabilities and applications in legal contexts.
• Understand ethical dilemmas and implications posed by AI systems, such as bias, transparency, accountability, and the need for human oversight.
• Examine legal Frameworks and standards related to AI and generative AI and what new guidelines or considerations might be necessary.
• Access practical tools and resources that provide guidance on handling generative AI-related issues.

The session will be led by David Sachar, director of NCSC’s Center for Judicial Ethics, and Carter Cousineau, Vice President of Data and Model Governance at Thomson Reuters. Sachar joined NCSC in 2023 and previously served as the executive director of the Arkansas Judicial Discipline & Disability Commission. He is an emeritus member of the board of directors of the Association of Judicial Disciplinary Counsel and a member of the board of directors of the Institute for African Women in the Law. Cousineau leads a global team at Thomson Reuters focused on advancing the technology industry with ethical practices. She has extended her work in AI through her advisory involvement with the AI Safety Consortium at the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the University of Toronto’s Data Sciences Institute, and International Association of Privacy Professionals.

This is an outstanding opportunity to stay informed about the rapidly evolving landscape of AI technology and its implications for the judicial system.

This webinar is being offered by the Thomson Reuters Institute/NCSC AI Policy Consortium for Law and Courts.

Presenters:

• David Sachar, Director of Center for Judicial Ethics, National Center for State Courts
• Carter Cousineau, Vice President of Data and Model Governance, Thomson Reuters

Register today.

For more information, email Grace Haviland.

Webinar: Family-Centered Fridays - Dually Involved Youth

September 20th, 2024

Case coordination is a key principle of Family-Centered Justice.

In this session of the Family-Centered Friday series, we will hear from different courts about how they coordinate services for families involved in both dependency and delinquency systems.

Join us to learn about the implementation of these programs, the partners involved in the work, the challenges the courts faced, and the anticipated outcomes for children and families.

Moderator:

• Teri Deal, Deputy Managing Director, National Center for State Courts

Panelists:

• Chandler Farris, Dually Involved Youth Specialist, Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts
• Joseph Kelroy, Juvenile Justice Services Division Director, Arizona Supreme Court

Register today.

If you have any questions or require an interpreter, please email Conor Geiger.

Webinar: Psychiatric Advanced Directives - A New Mental Health Crisis Tool

September 25th, 2024

Psychiatric Advanced Directives, commonly referred to as PADs, are legal documents that allow persons when stable to consent to or to refuse future psychiatric treatment in advance of a crisis. PADs can serve as an important tool to empower individuals to make proactive decisions before a crisis, offering clear guidance to professionals who assist in emergencies.

The increased use of PADs has the potential to reduce involuntary commitments, increase diversion opportunities from the justice system and serve as a less restrictive alternative to guardianship.

This webinar will provide an overview of PADs, including their uses, timing, benefits, challenges and misconceptions. Join us to enhance your understanding of PADs and the positive impact they can have to enable individuals to make their own decisions about psychiatric treatment ahead of a crisis.

Facilitator:

• Angela Sager, Senior Court Management Consultant, National Center for State Courts

Presenter:

• Dr. Marvin Swartz, Professor of Psychiatry, Duke University School of Medicine

Register today.

For more information, email Angela Sager.
If you require an interpreter or have other accessibility requests, email Natalie Downard.